Of all the people in the world who I don’t know personally, there is no person who has had a more profound and long-lasting impact on me than the author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. His novel Slaughterhouse Five is one of the first novels I read and whenever I am asked to name my favorite bookContinue reading “Uncle Kurt”
Tag Archives: letter writing
The Lost Art of Letter Writing: The Philosophical Diatribe
It is said that Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. didn’t edit his novels. Instead, he thought about each sentence in his head and did his revisions there before committing it to paper. It seems like he took the same approach to his letter writing. This excerpt of a letter from Vonnegut to his friend and mentor KnoxContinue reading “The Lost Art of Letter Writing: The Philosophical Diatribe”
The Lost Art of Letter Writing: The Poison Pen Letter
Alexander Woollcott Alexander Woollcott was a raconteur and member of good standing at the Algonquin Round Table. He was known for his dry humor and way with words. His aphorisms include observations on Los Angeles (“seven suburbs in search of a city”) and pianist Oscar Levant (“there is absolutely nothing wrong with Oscar LevantContinue reading “The Lost Art of Letter Writing: The Poison Pen Letter”
The Lost Art of Letter Writing – The Letter Home
According to the postmark, this letter was sent on December 2, 1945. Three months earlier, and five days before my dad’s 20th birthday, the Japanese formally surrendered. The war was over but soldiers, sailors, and airmen were spending another Christmas away from home. Still, it must have been a joy to experience theContinue reading “The Lost Art of Letter Writing – The Letter Home”
The Lost Art of Letter Writing: The Rejection Letter
Dear Author,Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review your novel Drowning In My Tears. While the story of a man’s struggle to overcome debilitating halitosis is uplifting, I’m not sure the market universe for your work is broad enough to inspire the confidence of our agency.As long as there are readers who preferContinue reading “The Lost Art of Letter Writing: The Rejection Letter”
